Secular Service

The Secular Service carries out a very diverse range of tasks. Besides organising various activities with a philosophical characters, we are also there to provide a place for good conversation or a listening ear. The service aims to draw attention to liberal humanism and its values.

The University of Antwerp is the only university in Flanders with its own secular service. The university's actively pluralistic approach aims to encourage the proponents of different philosophies to express and extend their views. As part of this approach, the secular service at the University of Antwerp wishes to contribute to a culture of free research and emphasise the moral autonomy of the human being.

Putting our heads together

The secular service aims to provide students with a challenging learning environment which will broaden their view of the world. We aim to encourage critical thinking by means of lectures, debates, theatre performances, poetry recitals and film events, in which the most wide-ranging but philosophically relevant topics are included. Furthermore, we also wish to bring students together with like-minded people: putting our heads together can help us go further.

A listening ear

The secular service also has a moral counsellor who will offer you a listening ear and allow you to tell your story. The counsellor may be able to help you figure things out and unravel a tangle. The issues you discuss will be treated confidentially and not communicated to others, and this guarantee will allow you to speak freely about the things you are experiencing.

'Altar-natives'

Marriage, birth, death... Every human life includes a number of watershed events which make you wonder about life. You may want to share these moments with family and friends. Our service can help you outline a secular ceremony: we will be glad to assist you in planning the procedure for the ceremony, making sure that the things that matter to you play a role in the proceedings.